I have had problems with my computer freezing during Internet-related activity over the last few months. Oddly enough I've only just discovered it stops when I turn Zone Alarm off.
This never happens on my husband's computer, the difference being that I'm the wifi computer (using a D-Link DI-514 wireless router).
I really don't want to remove the firewall from my computer if I can help it. Like the banks, while I know my safe has a combination (the router has a firewall, I'm told), I still lock my front doors (by installing a software firewall as well), right?
Anyone have any ideas (ie. "it's a zone alarm specific thing, try firewall brand X instead...")?
Sebastian: this is why I hesitate to ask for help on newsgroups. There's always someone who'll give some snarky answer to someone like myself who is no computer expert and who has asked for help. Obviously: I am wondering if there is something I can do within Zone Alarm or elsewhere that will stop it from freezing my computer.
No, I'm not addicted to "toys" or anything else. I just want the best solution to my problem and would appreciate some constructive help.
Once again: Most likely nothing. ZoneAlarm is intended to f*ck up your computer, and it obviously does well.
But I have the feeling that messing up everything is not your real intent. Then the question is why you want to keep on running ZA.
Then what it your problem? Are you unsatisfied how well ZoneAlarm emulates network errors? Would you like it to mess up everything when it's disabled always, rather than just sometimes - which I think is way closer to malicious behaviour?
Because I read reviews about it all over the place years ago, saw they were good, and have had it for a few years with no problems. I take it I've been reading the wrong reviews?
And if it is as bad as you say it is, what do you recommend I run instead? Since the other reviews I read of the Windows Firewall said it left much to be desired.
First off, Sebastian Gottschalk is a known antagonist (AFAIC). I think he understands more about technical details than people. Ignore him.
Next... ZA was introduced before Windows had a built-in firewall. Although ZA may have some "capabilities" that the Windows firewall does not, these "enhancements" are primarily of the bells-and-whistles-but-do-nothing-constructive category. Bottom line... if you want to continue running a personal firewall, try the Windows firewall. If it works, use it. And uninstall ZA.
Next again... there is much controversy about "real firewalls" and "packet filters" and "toy firewalls", etc. Bottom line, there are network firewalls and personal firewalls. Most knowledgeable folks agree that running a personal firewall behind a good network firewall is redundant and not worth anything in most cases. And that it can even introduce additional attack possibilities to your software. Since you stated you have (what appears to be) a network firewall, you might just want to disable the Windows firewall as well.
As to your actual problem. Since you state that being wireless is the only real difference between a working computer (wire, I assume) and yours, you might want to check ZA for how it is configured for your wireless device. Also, make sure your dns settings are correct. Occasionally a wrong dns setting can cause seemingly intermittent Internet delays (or seeming disconnects). You should not list both an internal and external IP for your dns servers under your TCP/IP properties. Only one or the other. Usually internal for a home LAN.
If you want help with your TCP/IP settings, post your config here...
Go to a command line and type: ipconfig /all > myconfig.txt
Open the resulting myconfig.txt and copy/paste the results here. We should be able to help you determine if your TCP/IP config is right.
Don't you think that it would be much more approciate to open a common prompt in before? The current directory a direct call to cmd.exe from Windows shell might end up everywhere - %userprofile%, %windir%, %windir%\\system32, %temp%, %systemdrive%....
And if you don't want such randomizations, you should either set a current path first, or at least you should provide the filename with an explicit location (e.g. > %userprofile%\\Desktop\\myfile.txt).
I still wonder why we need to discuss basic console usage...
Carmen, ignore Sebastian, or at least his tone. He lacks basic communication skills.
He is trying to tell you that if notice the problem goes away when you disable Zone Alarm, well, maybe that should tell you something.
If you are behind a router you have basic protection from unsolicited inbound packets. Therefore, you have little need to be concerned about intrusions. However, you need to be aware that an improperly configured or unpatched OS can still leave you vulnerable to exploits that even having ZA installed can't guarantee can be prevented.
on 7/27/2006 10:22 AM Frankster said the following:
The one capability of ZA that the windows FW does not have is that it can catch outgoing traffic that should not be happening. There is quite a debate about whether that is of any use at all. The idea as I understand it is: malware that ZA would stop from sending, could just as easily subvert ZA, so ZA does no good. I have not decided whether I agree or not. There are just as many responsible folks who say that the windows firewall is inadequate and ZA or something else is the way to go.
Well maybe. If your wifi computer is a laptop, and you use it on a public network, at the library or coffee shop or whatever, then you are no longer behind any firewall and the software firewall is all you've got.
Also, the computer I write this from is wired and behind two different routers, each doing NAT. Is the windows firewall irrelevant? Probably, but the overhead is so low, I've left it running. It certainly does no harm.
This is not the argument, why it's better not to "filter outgoing traffic". It's the argument, why this is no real advantage, because it's useless anyways. The argument is the big disadvantage, keeping people from getting their online software updates. And one argument is, that it's a b0rken concept anyways, because the user then has to act for protecting, where she/he should be protected.
So for one maybe small advantage, which in the dangerous cases is completely useless after all, you're buying big disadvantages.
These "responsible folks" should bring arguments for that view.
This console hasn't much to do with DOS any more, not to mention that the purpose of console usage if not to remember bad-old DOS times but rather provide a very powerful instrument to the user (allowing easy process of complex file sets and data with a scriptable invokation of simple commands and/or programs). Beside that, on Windows the console is a pretty necessary instrument for system management, which is a primary task for about any home user who is responsible for his system.
Can you define that a bit clearer? "outgoing traffic that should not be happening" can only be invoked by malicious applications, and in that case nothing will help.
It does harm, just like any improperly configured security solution. However, it's usually insignificant, especially in comparison to its usual benefits (the user not breaking everything by improperly shutting down necessary services).
Well, nothing will help if the Malicious application is smart enough to know to defeat ZA. Is that universally true? I would expect that there are apps that are not aware of, and make no attempt to bypass an outbound filter. (Perhaps the authors are willing to limit their targets to people using the windows firewall)
Anyway, does some lousy effort justify many hundreds of kilobytes of highly complex code running with SYSTEM privileges, especially since ZA's code is known to be very prone to dead-locks and errors?
so often we get persons that need to play King of the Mountain and get their kicks with sharp replies to naive questions or simple questions from users w/o the same level of experience.
those that can only use four letter words to express themselves clearly have problems and discredit themselves and their comments.
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